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... He is one of the native sons of this township, born October 26, 1840, his parents being John and Eliza (Smith) Abbott. The father, who was of Scotch-Irish descent, was born in Pennsylvania, and accompanied his parents to Butler County, Ohio, when he was young. He was the only one of his parents' children who lived past infancy, and he was carefully trained for his future career as an agriculturist. He was not fond of farming, however, and when he reached his seventeenth year he went to Cincinnati and began serving a five years apprenticeship to the tailor's trade. Afterward he followed that calling successfully for about twenty years, and while a resident of the city married and had two children. His wife and little ones having died, he removed to Franklin County in 1830, bought a small farm, with a few acres cleared and a log cabin on the place, and with characteristic energy he set to work to improve and cultivate this homestead, which in time became one of the best in that locality. He raised and fed live stock, and as prosperity smiled upon him he increased the dimensions of his farm until, at his death, he possessed a valuable estate. He was not a politician, but was concerned in the success of the Democratic Party, to which he gave his earnest support. Religiously he was identified with the Methodist Church, and led a sincere, worthy Christian life. Soon after coming to this county he married again, but his wife died within a few years, and their two children, Seldon and Mahala, died unmarried after arriving at maturity. For a third wife he chose Eliza Smith, who was born in Butler County, Ohio, the only daughter of James Smith, of Pennsylvania, who late in the last century settled on the Ohio frontier in Butler County, and there pursued the blacksmith's trade, in connection with farming. His wife survived him many years, and died at the home of our subject when quite aged. Her eldest son, John D., died in Butler County, and the other sons are James, William and Joseph. John and Eliza (Smith) Abbott became the parents of four children, namely: Joseph; Elizabeth, who died when young; John D., who manages the old homestead in this township, and James, who died unmarried. The mother departed this life in 1856, and several years afterward the father married Margaret Combs. She is deceased, as is Mr. Abbott also, he having been summoned to his reward in 1884. ...
